Book binding machine



Dec. 6, 1960 L. 1. KRAMER ETAL BOOK BINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheen 1 Filed May 19, 1958 INVENTORS LAWRENCE l. KRAMER 8 BY ORVILLE A. MORLEY ATTORNEYS Dec. 6, 1960 L. 1. KRAMER 'ETAL 2,952,733

BOOK BINDING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 8o 82 I66 5 76 1 5 62 I INVENTO S LAWRENCE I. KRAMER 8: BY ORVILLE A. MORLEY MM, MQfl ATTOR NEYS Dec 6, 1960 1. KRAMER ETAL 3 BOOK BINDING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1958 FIG-8 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY ORVILLE A. MORLEY' ATTORNEYS United States Patent BOOK BINDING MACHINE Lawrence I. Kramer and ()rville A. Morley, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to McCall Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 19, 1958, Ser. No. 736,048

12 Claims. (Cl. 11-4) This application relates to book binding machines and the like, particularly to that part of such machines wherein the covers are fed, singly and in succession, for attachment to the assembled signatures to make up a complete book.

The covers for many books and magazines, particularly those covers made of relatively heavy paper or like material, often including an integral extension or flap on one or both of the cover leaves or panels, such extension being generally referred to as a gateleg extension or flap. Such gateleg extensions may be intended for permanent connection to the associated cover leaf, or they may be removable for use as business reply cards for subscription renewals or similar purposes, as is well known in the magazine trade.

In connection with cover pieces having such gateleg extensions it has been the practice to run the printed or prepared cover pieces through a separate folding machine and operation prior to feeding the covers into the book binding machine. However, this requires a separate handling operation, moving the covers with infolded gateleg extensions from the folder to the book binder, and additionally the folded cover pieces are somewhat difiicult to handle, since they are thicker on one side than on the other and therefore do not stack evenly. Further difliculties may arise since the prefolded cover pieces sometimes tend to curl during handling, and also since it is somewhat troublesome to feed prefolded cover pieces into the book binder due to the double thickness at one side.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a book binding machine which accepts cover pieces having gateleg extensions or flaps in flat form, and which performs the gateleg fold as the cover pieces are passed individually to be combined with assembled signatures for forming a complete book.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in a book binding machine, apparatus for performing gateleg fold operations on cover pieces as the covers are passed into the machine, including a scoring or perforating device which is registered with the joint between the gateleg extension flap and the adjacent panelor leaf of the cover piece.

A further object of the invention is to provide such gateleg folding apparatus which operates in correlated relation to the remainder of the book binding machine, so as to perform the gateleg folds and to pass the folded cover pieces to the cover assembling station of the machine as the cover pieces are required at that station.

An additional object of this invention is to provide gateleg folding mechanism for a book binding machine wherein the gateleg flap is maintained substantially planar as it is folded about its joint with the adjacent cover panel or leaf.

Additional obiects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following descri tion, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings- 2,962,733 Patented Dec. 6, 1960 Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of portions of a book binding machine and of the gateleg folding mechanism provided by the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the gateleg folding mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the progression of a cover piece through the gateleg folding apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hold-down member or sword which cooperates with the folding plate as seen in Figs. 2 and 4;

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are sectional views on an em larged scale taken on lines 88, 99, 141-40, and Lil-11, respectively, in Fig. 6, with the view in each section terminating at the beginning of the next section;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale along the same line as Fig. 10, and illustrating the action of the folding member upon a gateleg flap in cooperation with the hold-down sword;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and comparable to the section shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an assembled book or magazine showing the manner in which the gateleg flap is infolded.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 shows the general organization of the apparatus provided by the invention in combination with a conventional book binding machine, which may be of the type, for example, shown in the United States patent to Bredenberg 1,867,803. This apparatus includes a plurality of clamp members 10 each of which is associated with a respective rack member 12 forming a substantially continuous rack about the machine which may be used to drive a pinion 13. The clamp members 10 may move in suitable rails or guideways which are not illustrated for purposes of clarity. They are driven by motor 15 connected to rotate drive shaft 16 which in turn rotates a drive wheel 18 to move clamp members 10 along a continuous path which may be generally in the form of a flat-sided oval. etao shr en lt t ltd1eou shrd cmfwy vbgkq cmfw shrm As is well known in the operation of such book binding machinery. the various signatures 20 which make up the complete book are assembled and held firmly between the parts of clamps 10, and in this manner fed past a gluing station 22 whereat suitable adhesive is applied to the backbone or grouped folded edges of the assembled signatures. Cover pieces 25 to complete the books or magazines are then fed into engagement with the g ued backbone by an upwardlv extending conveyor .27 having continuous chains 28 with projecting lugs 29 thereon to engage and feed the cover pieces. Conveyor chains 28 are driven by a sprocket 30 which is operatively connected. as indicated schematically at 32, to the pinion 13 which in turn meshes with the rack members 12. This arrangement assures that the cover pieces 25 are fed to the assemb ing station 35 in properly timed relation with movement of the assembled signatures between clamps 10. At the other end of conveyor 27, chains 28 are passed around a suitable idler sprocket on a shaft 37.

The cover pieces 25 are supplied from a stack placed in a suitable magazine indicated generally at 40, at the left hand side of Fig. 1. Any suitable feeding mechanism may be employed to feed the cover pieces singly and in succession. For purposes of example, a vacuum head feeder 42 is shown as operated in conventional reciprocating fashion by parallel linkage 43 including roller followers 44 and a cam 45 which is rotated, as indicated schematically at 46 by main drive motor 15.

The individual cover pieces are fed into a series of conveyors which serve to pass the cover pieces through the folding apparatus provided by this invention. These conveyors are shown schematically in Fig. 1 as including a first or entrance conveyor 50 including a pair of lower driving wheels 52 and a pair of upper idler wheels -53, spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the height, top to bottom, of the cover pieces. Reference to Fig. 6 will illustrate the manner in which the individual cover pieces are fed through the feeding and folding apparatus, with the cover pieces passing in the direction of arrow 55 along their height, for example from top to bottom.

The cover pieces each include front and back leafs V or panels 56 and 57 connected through a back panel 58, and the cover panel or leaf '57 includes a gateleg flap 59.integrally connected thereto. This entire cover piece is fed from the magazine 40 through the entrance conveyor 50 in flat unfolded form, with the surface to be the inside of the cover facing upwardly as shown at the left hand side of Fig. 6 and in Fig. 1. From the entrance conveyor the cover pieces are passed to a further conveyor 60 which serves to carry the cover pieces through the folding apparatus provided by this invention. This conveyor includes a conveyor chain 61 having projecting cover engaging lugs 62 which extend around suitable guide rollers or sprockets including a sprocket on the same shaft 63 as rollers 52 of conveyor 50, and a sprocket 64at its opposite end, carried on shaft 65, as well as an idler sprocket 66.

The upper flight of conveyor 60 passes through the folding apparatus, indicated generally at 70, which is an important feature of the present invention and which will presently be described in detail. From the conveyor 60 the cover pieces are fed to a further or intermediate conveyor 75 including conveyor chain 76 having upstanding lugs 77, and passing around sprockets on shafts 64 and '37, as shown in Fig. 1. In this fashion, the conveyor 75 is driven from the discharge or feeder conveyor 27 and in turn serves to drive, through shaft 65, the main conveyor 60 which in turn drives the entrance conveyor 50. Placing a number of such conveyors in series thus provides for proper timed feeding of the cover pieces to the book binding machine and at the same time, by transferring the cover pieces to thefinal or feeder conveyor 27 which is a separate unit, eliminates the problems of slack which otherwise might arise if a single conveyor having relatively long chains was employed.

That portion of the machine, namely folding apparatus 70, to which the invention is particularly directed, is shown in detail in Figs. 2-5, including supporting vertical members 80 to which are secured horizontal channel members 82 providing the supporting framework for the apparatus which prepares and'folds the gateleg flaps on the cover pieces. On this framework is supported the chains 62 of conveyor 60, including the upstanding lugs 63 which engage the trailing edge of the cover pieces to feed them singly and in succession. At the opposite sides of the supporting framework are supported guide channels or rails 85 and 86 which receive the opposite side edges of the flat cover pieces supplied from the feeder mechanism 42. The main portion of the cover pieces is supported upon a stationary plate 87 secured to suitable stationary channel rails 88 or the like, and the cover pieces slide over the plate 87. Hold-down rails or rods 90 extend over plate 87, as well as over the stationary supporting members 91 which extend in supporting relation beneath the gateleg 60 of the cover pieces.

As the cover pieces pass into the preparing and folding apparatus 70 they are engaged by further conveyor means provided by rollers 92 secured to a drive shaft 93 which includes a drive sprocket 95 receiving a drive chain 97. This chain extends the length of one side of the folding apparatus, as shown in Fig. 2, and is powered by sprocket 98 which is fixed to a drive shaft 100 (Figs. 2 and and which in turn carries a further drive sprocket 102 gateleg flap.

meshing with a chain 103 which passes around a sprocket 105 on shaft 65 of the intermediate conveyor 75.

Referring to Fig. 3, shaft 93 carries a pinion which meshes in one to one ratio with a gear 112 mounted upon a counter-shaft 115 which is also supported for rotation in the supporting framework. This shaft carries upper feeder rolls 117, which may include rubber tires 118, and which are aligned with the lower rollers 92 to engage the cover pieces in the nip therebetween and feed the cover pieces forwardly through the folding apparatus.

As mentioned above, the cover pieces are supplied flat or unfolded from the magazine 25, and there is no delineation between the gateleg flaps .59 .and the adjacent channel 57 of the cover piece, other than perhaps in the printed material thereon. The lugs 63 engage the cover pieces before they are passed to the folding apparatus 70, as shown in Fig. l, and in combination with the side guiding rails 85 and 86, cooperate to align the cover pieces as they enter the first rollers of the folding apparatus for subsequent folding. As the'cover pieces enter the folding apparatus and pass between the feeder rollers 92,117, which'are so driven that their surface speed is slightly greater than the lineal speedof lugs 63, they also are passed through suitable scoring or perforating mechanism including a lower roller 120, which preferably has a peripheral slot or groove 122 in its surface. Immediately above roller 120, mounted on a collar 123 which is secured to counter-shaft 115, is the scoring or perforating knife 125. The cover pieces thus are now controlled by the rollers of the folding apparatus and are drawn slightly in advance of and away from control by, the lugs 63.

This knife is in the form of a disk having a scoring edge which may be blunt, to cooperate with groove 122 to produce a score line along the joint between flap 59 and cover leaf 57, or the edge of knife 125 may be provided as a plurality of sharpened teeth, as shown in Fig. 8, which in such case would cooperate with the groove 122 to perforate the cover piece along'the fold line for the In either event, the knife 125 is aligned with respect to the side guide rails 85 and 86 to provide the desired scored or perforated fold line for the gateleg flap.

Immediately beyond the section on which Fig. 3 is taken, the left hand guide rail 86 is opened to L-shape, as shown in Fig. 4, and this rail terminates a short distance beyondknife 125. Spaced inwardly from rail 86 the same distanceas knife 125 is the folding guide member indicated generally at 130, and provided by a rail 132 having a shoulder 133 thereon which is aligned with knife 125 so as to receive the fold line formed ,in the cover pieces between the gateleg flap and the adjacent cover leaf or panel. This rail 132.. extends fora considerable distance along the folding apparatus, and to this rail are secured a progression of fold plates 135, the plates in the series each being designated specifically by the reference letters ap. These plates are suitably fastened to a mounting bar 137 which is secured to rail 132 and the lower edges of these fold plates cooperate with rail 132 to define the shoulder 133. Each of the plates radiates at a different angle with respect to the mounting bar 137 such that one edge, hereinafter referred to as the trailing edge, of each plate extends from shoulder 132 in a straight line away from the shoulder.

Thesesuccessive trailing edges of the plates a-p extend at progressively greater angles with respect to horizontal, with the first plate 135a extending to the left or outer side of rail 132 at a relatively slight angle, and progressively through the folding member 139 these edges move closer to rail 132, through substantially as shown in Figs. 6, 9 and 10, until the last plate p projects directly over the rail 132, spaced thereabove by a distance which is slightly greater than a double thickness of the cover piece. These edges of the fold plates 135a-pthus define a curved plane surface along which the leading edge of the gateleg flap 59 may follow to fold the gateleg over upon the adjacent cover panel or leaf 57.

Cooperating with folding member 130 is a hold-down sword or rail 140 which is mounted upon a supporting block 142. A generally L-shaped mounting bar 143 is secured to block 142 by a bolt 144 having an adjusting nut 145, and extending through the lower or thicker portion of member 143 into a bore through the supporting block 142. A suitable set screw 145 in block 142 engages bolt 144 to retain the supporting block in position on the mounting bolt 144, and a further set screw 146 in nut 145 is provided to retain the adjusting nut in a set position. This construction provides for adjustment of hold-down sword 140 longitudinally of the guiding rail 132 of the folding member.

In the upper portion of member 143 is an aperture 148 which receives a suitable fastener, shown in Fig. 4 as a bolt and wing nut fastener 149, for securing the mounting member 143 to a mounting plate 150. This plate includes a slot 151 which is elongated in a horizontal direction and which receives the fastener 149, providing for lateral adjustment of the hold-down sword 140. A mounting angle bar 153 is secured to a vertical frame member 80 (Fig. 4) and receives a pair of bolt and wing nut fasteners 154 which extend through vertically elongated slits 155 in the mounting plate, providing for vertical adjustment of the hold-down sword with respect to the surface of guide rail 132.

As will be noted in Figs. 1 and 7, the hold-down member or sword 140 includes an upturned forward end 158 beneath which the cover pieces pass to enter the folding member, and one side of sword member 140 is beveled, as indicated at 160, to provide a relatively thin edge over which the gateleg fold can be made. The length of sword member 140 is somewhat greater than the length of rail 132, with the upturned leading end 158 extending forwardly of the leading section of the rail member, which may be beveled as at 162 (Figs. 6 and 8) to assist in guiding the leading edge of the cover pieces onto rail 132, and the trailing or back end of sword member 140 extends beyond rail 132 on the other end, in a direction toward the intermediate or transfer conveyor 75, for the purpose of guiding the folded gate leg under transfer rollers 165 which, in combination with the lower rollers 166 on shaft 100 (Fig. 5) form the last set of powered conveyor rollers in the folding apparatus.

Between the last rollers 165, 166 and the first set 92, 117, there are two further sets of conveyor rollers indicated generally at 170 and 172, respectively. These rollers are of the same general construction as previously described, including for example lower steel rollers and rubber tired upper rollers, and are powered from the same drive chain 95 through similar sprocket drives and gearing. Since the construction of these roller sets is substantially identical to those previously described, further detailed explanation of their parts is believed unnecessary. It will be noted, however, that the spacing between adjacent sets of rollers in the folding apparatus is less than the Width or height of a cover piece from leading to trailing edge, such that the cover pieces are always under control of at least one roller set, and, as previously mentioned, the cover pieces pass through the folding apparatus in advance of the conveyor lugs 63 until discharged from rollers 165, 166. This provides for continued accurate alignment of the cover pieces with the folding member during the folding operation. j

The progress of the individual cover pieces through the apparatus is thus as follows. The cover pieces are fed individually from the stack in magazine 25 through the entrance conveyor 50 onto the plate 87 and associated supporting structure, at which time the lugs 63 on conveyor chain 62 engage the trailing edge of the cover piece, which has been fed into the side guide channels 85 and 86. This operation aligns the cover pieces properly and they are then carried forward and passed between the first set of rollers 92, 117 with the joint or connection along which the gateleg fold is to be made properly aligned with the scoring knife 125. The folding score in the cover pieces is thus made as they are fed under the leading upturned end of sword member 140 and onto the leading beveled edge 162 of rail 132. The leading edge of the gateleg flap thus passes over the first fold plate 135a of folding member and is in turn passed across the fold plates 130a-p successively, causing the gateleg flap 59 to be folded over the sword member 140 while maintaining gateleg flap 59 substantially planar.

This folding action prevents any substantial bending or bowing of the gateleg flap 59 and concentrates the bending stress at the score or fold line between that flap and the adjacent cover panel 57. This feature is important especially when operating with relatively thin covers such as the heavy paper covering used on magazines.

As will be noted particularly in Figs. 11 and 13, the last folding plate p extends over the sword 140, which in turn is of relatively thin cross section at this point. The gateleg flap is, therefore, folded over upon the adjacent cover flap 57, with only the thickness of the sword in between and adjacent the fold line. As the folded cover pieces pass off the end of sword member the folded edge is directed imemdiately into the nip between rollers 16S and 166 (Fig. 5), these rollers serving to compress and flatten the fold, giving a sharp crease at the fold line and preventing any tendency for the gateleg flap 59 to unfold.

From this last set of rollers the folded cover pieces are passed to the intermediate conveyor 75 and they are picked up by the lugs 77 of conveyor chain 76. This operation serves further to align the folded cover pieces which are then transferred in known manner to the conveyor 27. The folded cover pieces are then finally aligned by the lugs 29 on conveyor chain 28 and carried to the assembly station 35 where the back panel 58 is adhered to the backbone of the assembled signatures.

The assembled cover and signatures, i.e. the completed book or magazine, are shown in Fig. 14, with the gateleg flap 59 folded on the interior of the cover. The present invention, therefore, provides an improved book binding machine which is capable of assembling books or magazines having gateleg flaps or extensions. on the covers, beginning directly from the fiat unfolded cover pieces. As mentioned previously, the machine thus eliminates the necessity of separate folding operations on separate gateleg folding machines, as well as the necessity for transporting the cover pieces to and from such machines. Furthermore, the present apparatus completely eliminates the necessity of storing, even temporarily, folded cover pieces, and the attendant difiiculties in handling and stacking such folded covers.

The folding member 130 serves to maintain the gateleg fiap 59 substantially planar or fiat during the folding operation, and this results in a concentration of the bending stresses at the previously formed score line or perforation. This feature is particularly useful when operating with covers, such as for magazines, which are constructed of relatively thin and flexible paper material.

It should be noted, furthermore, that cover pieces which do not include gateleg flaps can be run through the above described apparatus without any change in the operation thereof, other than moving the left hand guide channel 86' into alignment with the fold member guide rail 132. This feature adds to the adaptability of the folding apparatus since it may easily be put into and taken out of operation. Also, as will be obvious from an inspection of the drawings, the folding apparatus may be duplicated on the other side of the conveyor system to produce a double gateleg fold. This would merely require a duplication of the folding member 130, the holddown sword 140, and the associated above described parts for producinga gateleg fold as the cover pieces are fed to the book binding machine.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a book binding machine having apparatus for assembling groups of signatures and applying covers thereto, a conveyor connected to feed said cover pieces to said machine in timed relation to the assembling operation thereof, feeder means connected to operate in timed relation to said conveyor to supply cover pieces singlyin succession and in flat open form, a folding apparatus connected between said feeder means and said conveyor, means for producing a fold line in the cover pieces including a stationary mounting supported in predetermined relation with respect to said feeder means, conveyor means operatively associated with said feeder means and arranged to align the cover pieces individually with said fold line producing means, and meansfor folding that portion of the cover piece between the fold line and the adjacent edge thereof over upon the remainder of the cover piece while maintaining said portion substantially planar during said folding operation.

2. In combination with a book binding machine having apparatus for assembling groups of signatures and applying covers thereto, a conveyor connected to feed said cover pieces to said machine in timed relation to the assembling operation thereof, feeder means connected to operate in timed relation to said conveyor to supply cover pieces singly in succession and in fiat open form, a folding apparatus connected between said feeder meansvand said conveyor, means for producing a fold line in the cover pieces including a stationary mounting supported in predetermined relation with respect to said feeder means, conveyor means operatively associated with said feeder means and arranged to align the cover pieces individually with said fold line producing means, means for folding that portion of the cover piece between the fold line and the adjacent edge thereof overupon the remainder of the cover piece while maintaining said portion substantially planar during said folding operation, and means for transferring the folded cover piece to said conveyor including apparatus for aligning the folded cover pieces for feeding to the book binding machine.

3. In a boo-k binding machine having apparatus for carrying assembled groups of signatures into position for assembly with cover pieces, the combination of a magazine adapted to receive a supply of cover pieces in flat sheet form and each including an infold portion along one margin thereof adapted to be folded within the assembled book, feeder means operatively associated with said magazine for feeding said cover pieces individually from said magazine, conveyor means connected to operate in timed relation to said machine and extending between said feeder means and said machine for receiving said cover pieces and feeding said cover pieces individually in succession to said machine, said feeder means being adapted to supply said cover pieces to said conveyor means with said infold portions thereof extending to one side of the direction of feeding movement of said conveyor with the surface to be the inside of the cover facing upward, folding apparatus operatively associated with said conveyor means and aligned with said infold portions for guiding said infold portions through a folding movement of substantially 180 to fold each said infold portion into face to face relation with the remainder of the cover piece prior to conveyance thereof to said assembling apparatus. and means in said folding apparatus for maintaining said infold portions substan- 8 a. tially planarduring folding movement thereof into face to face relation with the associated saidcover'piece.

4. Apparatus for infolding a gateleg extension on magazine covers and the like, comprising guide means including first and second longitudinally extending guide members spaced apart to receive the covers singly in succession with the gateleg extension projecting from one side of the cover panels, said second guide member terminating in a discharge end short of the end of said first guide member, means for feeding the covers successively through the space between said first and second guide members, means defining a third longitudinally extending guide member spaced laterally from said first guide member a distance substantially equal to the width of a cover piece less the width of the gateleg extension, said third guide member commencing adjacent said discharge end of said second guide membenmeans operable in relation to said feeding means for conveying the cover pieces through said guide means and along said second and third guide members in that succession, means supported in advance of said third guide member and aligned therewith for scoring the cover piece along the connection between the gateleg extension and its adjacent cover panel, and stationary foldingmeans radiating from said third guide member at successive positions along the length thereof and arranged to pivot said gateleg extension about the scored connection while maintaining the gateleg extension substantially planar to direct components of the bending stress set up by said folding means toward said scored connection and to form a sharp fold in the covers.

5. In combination with a book binding machine having apparatus for assembling groups of signatures into book form and for applying cover pieces thereto, means providing a magazine for receiving a plurality of cover pieces including gateleg extensions on one panel thereof in flat unfolded sheet form, a conveyor connected to feed said cover pieces singly to said machine in timed relation to the assembling operation thereof, feeder means operatively associated with said magazine and operative to feed cover pieces in succession and in fiat open form from said magazine with said gateleg extensions projecting from one side margin thereof with the surface to be the inside of the cover facing upward, guide means supported to receive the cover pieces from said feeder means and including channels providing first and second longitudinally extending shoulders spaced apart to receive the unfolded cover pieces with the gateleg extension at one side thereof adjacent said second shoulder, the channel providing said second shoulder terminating in a discharge end substantially short of the end of the other channel farthest from said feeder means, rail means defining a third longitudinally extending shoulder spaced laterally from said first shoulder a distance substantially equalto the width of a cover piece less the width of the gateleg extension, said third shoulder having an entry end adjacent said discharge end of said second shoulder and having its other end discharging toward said conveyor, means operable in relation to said feeding means for conveying the cover pieces through said guide means along said second and third shoulders in that succession, means supported in advance of said third shoulder and aligned therewith for scoring the cover piece along the connection between the gateleg extension and its adjacent panel, and folding means including a plurality of cover engaging portions radiating from said third shoulder and arranged to pivot said gateleg extension about the scored connection while maintaining the gateleg extension substantially planar to direct components of the bending stress set up in the cover piece by said folding means toward said scored connection.

6. In combination with a book binding machine having apparatus for assembling groups of signatures into book form and for applying cover pieces thereto, means providing a magazine for receiving a plurality of cover pieces including gateleg extensions on one panel thereof in fiat unfolded sheet form, aconveyor connected to feed said cover pieces singly to said machine in timed relation to the assembling operation thereof, feeder means operatively associated with said magazine and operative to feed cover pieces in succession and in flat open form from said magazine with said gateleg extensions projecting from one side margin thereof with the surface to be the inside of the cover facing upward, guide means supported to receive the cover pieces from said feeder means and including means providing first and second longitudinally extending shoulders spaced apart to receive the unfolded cover pieces with the gateleg extension at one side thereof adjacent said second shoulder, the means providing said second shoulder terminating in a discharge end substantially short of the end of the other shoulder providing means farthest from said feeder means, rail means defining a third longitudinally extending shoulder spaced laterally from said first shoulder a distance substantially equal to the width of a cover piece less the width of the gateleg extension, said third shoulder having an entry end adjacent said discharge end of said second shoulder and having its other end discharging toward said conveyor, means operable in relation to said feeding means for conveying the cover pieces through said guide means along said second and third shoulders in that succession, means supported in advance of said third shoulder and aligned therewith for scoring the cover piece along the connection between the gateleg extension and its adjacent panel, a plurality of stationary folding means radiating from said third shoulder and arranged to pivot said gateleg extension about the scored connection while maintaining the gateleg extension substantially planar to direct components of the bending stress set up in the cover piece by said folding means toward said scored connection, and a guide sword supported along said third shoulder and spaced slightly laterally therefrom in a direction toward said first shoulder for retaining the panel of the cover piece adjacent the gateleg extension in contact with said third shoulder during folding of the gateleg extension.

7. In a book binding machine having apparatus for carrying assembled groups of signatures into position for assembly with cover pieces, the combination of a magazine adapted to receive a supply of cover pieces in flat sheet form and each including an infold portion along one margin thereof adapted to be folded within the as sembled book, feeder means operatively associated with said magazine for feeding said cover pieces individually from said magazine in timed relation to operation of said machine, conveyor means connected to operate in timed relation to said machine and extending between said feeder means and said machine for receiving said cover pieces and feeding said cover pieces individually in succession to said machine, said feeder means being arranged to supply said cover pieces to said conveyor means with said infold portions thereof extending to one side of the direction of feeding movement of said conveyor means, and folding apparatus operatively associated with said conveyor means and aligned with said infold portions for guiding said infold portions through a folding movement of substantially 180 to fold each said infold portion into face to face relation with the remainder of the cover piece during conveyance thereof to said assembling apparatus.

8. In combination with a book binding machine having apparatus for assembling groups of signatures into book form and for applying cover pieces thereto, means providing a magazine for receiving a plurality of cover pieces in fiat unfolded sheet form, a conveyor connected to feed said cover pieces singly to said machine in timed relation to the assembling operation thereof, said cover pieces including infold portions extending from one margin thereof and adapted for folding within the assembled books, feeder means operatively associated with said magazine and connected with said conveyor to feed cover pieces in succession and in fiat open form from said magazine with said infold portions extending from the margin of said cover piece, means operating said feeder means in timed relation to operation of said machine, scoring apparatus supported adjacent the discharge of said feeder means and aligned with the cover pieces passing relative thereto to register with the joint between said infold portion and the associated margin of each said cover piece for scoring said joint preparatory to folding of said infold portion into face to face relation with the remainder of the cover piece, and folding apparatus connected between said scoring apparatus and said conveyor operable to guide said infold portions through a folding motion of substantially about the scored joint to prepare said infold portion for assembly within the bound book by said machine.

9. Folding apparatus for use with a book binding machine to produce gateleg folds in cover pieces and the like, comprising conveyor means for passing the cover pieces singly in succession to the machine, a folding member extending parallel to the direction of movement of said conveyor means including a supporting rail positioned along the path of movement of said conveyor means to receive that portion of the cover pieces along which the fold is made, a hold-down member supported above said rail for maintaining the cover pieces in engagement with said rail, a plurality of folding plates extending in succession from one side of said rail to engage the gateleg flaps on the cover pieces, the first of said plates having one edge thereof projecting on the opposite side of said rail from said hold-down member, the last of said plates having at least one edge thereof projecting substantially over said hold-down member, and successive intermediate folding plates having edges thereof extending at progressively greater angles relative to a plane containing said rail and said first plate for guiding the flaps through a 180 fold onto adjoining parts of the cover pieces while maintaining the flaps substantially planar.

10. Folding apparatus for use with a book binding machine to fold gateleg flaps on cover pieces and the like into superimposed relation upon the remainder of the cover pieces, comprising conveyor means for passing the cover pieces singly in succession to the machine, means for supplying cover pieces to said conveyor means with the gateleg flaps extending to one side of the cover pieces, a rail having entrance and discharge ends and supported in position extending along the direction of movement of said conveyor means to receive that portion of the cover pieces along which the gateleg fold is made, a holddown member supported in parallel spaced relation to said rail for maintaining the cover pieces in engagement with said rail, a plurality of folding plates extending in succession from one side of said rail, said plates extending in planes transverse to the length of said rail and each having a straight edge on the end thereof closer to the discharge end of said rail, said straight edges of said plates extending at progressively greater angles relative to a horizontal plane containing said rail to engage successively the gateleg fiaps on said cover pieces and to guide said flaps through a 180 fold around said hold-down member while maintaining the flaps substantially planar, and creasing means supported at the discharge end of said rail for receiving the folded edge of the cover pieces and forming a permanent crease in the cover pieces at the connection between the gateleg flaps and the remainder of each cover piece.

11. Apparatus for assembling bound books and the like having cover pieces with a gateleg portion required to be infolded in the bound book, comprising the combination of a book binding machine having continuously operable apparatus for assembling groups of signatures into book form, said machine including a cover applying station at which the assembled edges of the signatures to be bound are engaged with a cover therefor, a conveyor operating in timed relation with said binding machine and operable to feed cover pieces to said station with the interior of said cover in position to engage with the to-bebound edges of said signatures and with said gateleg portion infolded, feeder means connected to operate in timed relation with said conveyor to supply cover pieces singly in succession and in flat open form, and folding apparatus mounted between said feeder means and said conveyor operable on each individual cover piece fed in fiat open form to form the infolding operation of each gateleg portion as each single cover piece is carried in timed relation to said conveyor producing a sharp fold between the infolded gateleg portion and the remainder of the cover piece.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein creasing means are mounted at the discharge end of said third References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,201 Kleineberg June 23, 1931 2,077,403 Eiseman Apr. 20, 1937 2,540,844 Strauss Feb. 6, 1951 2,759,727 Brornberg Aug. 21, 1956 l l l 

